The title of ‘fastest growing county in the region’ belongs to Williamson County right now, mostly because of the explosive growth in the Cool Springs area. That’s created some tension in economic development circles as some worry downtown Nashville is missing out on corporate relocations while losing existing employers who’ve moved south.

Representatives of the Nashville-area Chamber of Commerce say not so, citing that nearly half of the business growth for the 10-county region happens in Metro Nashville.

Pat Emery, regional vice president of real estate firm Crescent Resources, says it wasn’t but 15 years ago that Cool Springs developers were asking a different question.

“What do we have to do to get Davidson County to let go of some of the relocations so they can go to the other counties? It’s a pendulum and it’s swinging. Right now it’s just, everything seems to come our way. And it will swing back.”

Emery spoke at a panel discussion yesterday organized by the Nashville Business Journal. He and the other panelists, which included Franklin City Administrator Jay Johnson, say Cool Springs attracts companies looking for a suburban, family setting while Nashville appeals to companies in search of a young, energetic workforce and downtown amenities.

Janet Miller, executive director of the Nashville-area Chamber of Commerce, calls education the ‘ace in the hole’ for Williamson County. A nationally-ranked school-system combined with cheaper land than Nashville has put Cool Springs on the map, she says. Miller adds, however, there are early indications it’s getting more expensive to build in Williamson County. Several of the new office complexes going in are building up instead of out and putting in multi-level parking garages.